No Need to Fear

There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you. Isaiah 41:10 MSG

You will have nothing to fear at night and no need to be afraid of enemy arrows during the day.

You will have no fear of diseases that come in the dark or terrible suffering that comes at noon. Psalm 91:5-6 ERV

During the past six weeks I have had two opportunities to be afraid and fear the circumstances I found myself in. Facing open heart surgery challenged my faith and I was tempted to be afraid. I admit that I had some anxiety the night before but I can honestly say that I was never afraid. I trusted in the Lord to be with me and to bring me through whatever I had to face. When the coronavirus pandemic began to grow I had the opportunity to be fearful of what could happen. I was seventy years old and had an underlying medical condition. This placed me in the high-risk category. In the natural, I should have been fearful. Once again I have put my trust in God's Word, "There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you." 

The entire world has been rocked by the pandemic and it is safe to say that the majority of humans are living in fear. The disease has produced fear and all nations are suffering from economic anxiety. Fear is running rampant.

Make the decision to trust in God and the Word. Choose to live in faith and not fear. Daily believe that the Lord will help you and strengthen you.

The old gospel hymn, God Will Take Care of You, is very relevant for our day.

Be not dismayed whate'er betide

God will take care of you

Beneath His wings of love abide

God will take care of you

God will take care of you

Through every day, o'er all the way

He will take care of you

God will take care of you

No matter what may be the test

God will take care of you

Lean, weary one, upon His breast

God will take care of you

God will take care of you                                                                                                    Through every day, o'er all the way

He will take care of you                                                                                                            
God will take care of you

See Each Other During the Pandemic

Danny Cohn, CEO of the Birmingham Jewish Federation shared an interesting insight from a Midrash on Exodus 14. (A Midrash is an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures, attached to the biblical text.) This is the Scripture of the children of Israel crossing the Red Sea. I believe this Midrash can add meaning to what we are experiencing at this time with the unknown of the coronavirus pandemic.

"The Midrash was on how the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea via twelve different paths separated by towers of water. Although each tribe had its own private path, each tribe could see with perfect clarity every other tribe during the passage. The Midrash recounts how the experience was frightening and being able to see each other comforted the tribes. As we are all taking our own paths during this time, let’s remember to “see” each other as much as we can to bring comfort to ourselves."

Your path may be rather smooth during this challenging era in history. Others feel that they are going under and about to drown. May we not be so preoccupied with our own lives that we forget to see others less fortunate. We are blessed to be a blessing.

Cardiologist Says That I Have a New Heart

5-week heart surgeon check-up today and happy to report that he has released me from his care. I am now permitted to live a more regular lifestyle. 

Cardiologist check-up on Monday also went well and he is very pleased with my successful recovery. He said that I have a new heart. 

I sincerely appreciate everyone's prayers and encouraging messages over the last five weeks. God has been very gracious!

God Will Cover and Protect You

This is God's Word and you can trust His Word. The integrity of God's Word will never fail. During this time of uncertainty, you can know that His Word remains certain.  

Christ Within Me by Saint Patrick

And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

Here is the key to being at rest in our spirits during this coronavirus pandemic. Christ in us is greater than disease or any plague. As Saint Patrick wrote, Christ within me is our solace and our remedy during times of distress and fear.

Never forget these words from Exodus 15:26, "For I am the LORD who heals you."

Listen to this healing song I Am the God Who Healeth Thee written and sung by Don Moen. As you listen let the LORD heal your spirit, emotions, and body.

(To listen to I Am the God Who Healeth Thee click the link above) 

New Heart and Vision

A month ago I had successful open heart surgery. Three years before I began to experience extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and lack of focus. My primary care physician detected a heart murmur during a regular check up. She sent me to a cardiologist for testing. Following testing I was diagnosed with a hereditary heart disease called Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy. The left side of my heart had grown larger than the right and a portion had hardened restricting a major artery. The cardiologist told me that there was nothing that could be done except treat with medicine and soon I would have cardiac arrest and die.

I did improve with the medication but still had symptoms which limited me physically. I decided to seek another cardiologist who was recommended. He sent me for further testing and referred me to another cardiologist who informed me that surgery could improve my condition. The surgery would remove the hardened section of heart muscle and two bypasses would also be done. This diagnosis gave me much hope. I agreed to have the surgery a week later.

The night before the surgery I had a Scripture verse come into my mind. It was, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Literally I believe God has given me a new heart, both physically and spiritually. Physically I feel very good and spiritually a new outlook is coming into focus. Although I have ministered as an evangelist for almost fifty years I am sensing a shift in this calling. This shift seems to be from a church-type evangelist to a call to leaders in America and Israel. How this will develop or be walked-out remains to be seen. I only know that I have a new heart and new vision.   

What Methodists Believe About the Holy Spirit

Eight years ago I recorded this short video clip "What Methodists Believe About the Holy Spirit." Then four years ago on this day, February 4th, I shared it again on my Facebook page. 

Today I attended the funeral of a Methodist woman that I had visited several times in my Hospice work. It did my heart so much good to hear the pastors share about her belief in Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I feel impressed to share this video again tonight.

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/ARvJ6iN9/what-methodists-believe-about-holy-spirit_0001_dvd.mp4?fbclid=IwAR3m9mzct67-aQ25ekYPGi-Ek_Z3Dpw88ok8qQYFpbydWqCFDZvzpiIo_l4